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Review of Some of the Significant Differences
in the Mon 863 Study*
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Measure
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Function
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Potential indicator
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Follow-up tests needed
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Comments
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Increased Basophil Counts
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Creates histamine
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May indicate allergic reaction
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IgE
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Other studies suggest possible allergic reactions to GM Bt Maize as well.
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Increased Lymphocyte Counts
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Immune reactions to fight infections, etc.
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Lymphocytes increase in the presence of infections, cancer, various toxins, and disease states
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Immune-responsiveness assays, ELISPOT, etc
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Researchers failed to conduct the customary dry weight test on internal organs, so we cannot be sure if the spleen, which is involved in the creation of lymphocytes, was also affected.
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White Blood Cell Counts
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Same as above
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Same
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Same
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Same
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Decreased Reticulocyte Count
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Progenitors of mature erythrocytes (red blood cells)
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Anaemia
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An allowance of 5% variability in this count is the norm used in food experiments. Astoundingly, Monsanto said that the 52% decrease compared to the parent line was “attributable to normal biological variability.”
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Decreased Kidney Weight
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To clear waste products
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Blood pressure problems
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Functional clearance assays
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Kidneys are essential vital organs; any inadequacy in kidney function is potentially life threatening.
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Blood Sugar
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Essential energy source for normal body function
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Insulin and sugar/fat loading assays
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An elevation of 10% cannot be written off as biologically insignificant, given the epidemic of diabetes.
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There were also elevated levels of kidney inflammation, liver necrosis, and other observed changes. It is almost impossible to imagine that major lesions in important organs (kidneys, liver, etc) or changes in blood parameters (lymphocytes, granulocytes, glucose, etc.) that occurred in GM Maize-fed rats, is incidental and due to simple biological variability.
*Although comparisons with non-isogenic lines is not justifiable for a safety assessment, it is of interest to note that some of the differences measured were statistically significant when compared to the six commercial feeds.
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